Suman Mokhtarian, a former UFC fighter turned coach, was shot dead in a brazen daylight attack in Sydney’s west on Wednesday evening. The 33-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene after suffering gunshot wounds, despite paramedics’ efforts.
The shooting occurred in Riverstone, NSW around 6pm.
Emergency crews were called to two separate vehicle fires nearby — a red Audi found burning on Riverstone Road and a white van set alight on Matthias Street. Both vehicles were destroyed, with investigators confirming they were linked to the Riverstone murder. Three separate crime scenes were established as police and forensic officers examined bullet casings and other evidence.
This was not Mokhtarian’s first brush with lethal danger. In February 2024, a gunman disguised as a delivery driver opened fire outside his gym, Australian Top Team, in Wentworthville. Mokhtarian survived that attempt, and the alleged shooter was later charged with attempted murder. Later in 2025, police cancelled a major MMA event he was slated to coach, the Dark Matter Fighting Championship, over fears he could again be the target of an assassination plot.
Residents in the quiet Riverstone street were left shaken by the gunfire. Neighbour Natalie Hopwood told the ABC she was outside her home with her two young children when the shots rang out.
“I was out the front with my little kids, one and three, and we heard the gunshots and then the person drove past our house,” she said. “I called the police straight away and ran over to check if he was alive — he clearly wasn’t.”
“My little girl was right at the end of the driveway when it happened.”
Police are now working to trace the movements of those vehicles and identify anyone seen fleeing the scene. Detectives have not ruled out links to organised crime but said it was too early to confirm a motive.
“What I can say is that it was a targeted attack,” Superintendent Jason Joyce told ABC Radio Sydney. “My heart goes out to not only the family of the victim, but also the people who had to witness it.”
Photo: found HERE and used under a Creative Commons license. This image has not been modified.
